UConn vs. Temple: Setting The Scene At Liacouras Center

PHILADELPHIA – Fans are trickling into the Liacouras Center on Broad and Montgomery, lot of melting snow and ice outside. Both teams are out on the floor stretching, shooting. UConn and Temple are less than an hour from starting the final game of the regular season.

Let’s set the scene:

Rakim Lubin, who has missed the last three games since sustaining a concussion, has been cleared to play and is out on the floor shooting with his teammates. So he will be available today off the Huskies’ bench.

Anticipating the same starters: Ryan Boatright, Rodney Purvis, Daniel Hamilton, Phil Nolan and Amida Brimah. Nolan played 32 minutes against Memphis, which is the most he’s played in a game since 34 in the season finale against Providence his freshman year, a game in which the Huskies had no backup center. So Kevin Ollie remains happy with the defense he is playing and the effort he’s putting forth.

Your refs: Steve Olson, Ray Natili, Brent Hampton.

UConn is sixth in the American Conference, which means they would have to play in the first round of the league tournament. The Huskies can move into the top five and get a bye if they beat Temple today, and Memphis loses at Cincinnati tomorrow. If UConn is sixth, they will play against the No. 11 seed at 8 p.m. on Thursday night at the XL, and if they win, would play Friday at 9 p.m. If they can get to No. 5, they would be off on Thursday and play 2 p.m. against the No. 4 seed on Friday.

The league awards will be announced at 12:30 on Thursday at the XL Center.